Got a pink ID card today, no trouble

[john terry1001]

On 12/20/2019 at 11:04 AM, heretostay said:

I paid all of 60 baht, and they gave me a receipt for it.  The card is "good for life."

It's only valid for life if you're over 60 years old. Under 60 and it's valid for 10 years, the same as a Thai ID card.

[Max69xl]

9 minutes ago, john terry1001 said:

It's only valid for life if you're over 60 years old. Under 60 and it's valid for 10 years, the same as a Thai ID card.

And it's only valid when staying at the registered address. The pink ID-card is just a proof of having a yellow house book. Move permanently to lets say another province,then it's not valid anymore. 10 years is a long time to stay at the same address. 

[bluesofa]

24 minutes ago, john terry1001 said:

On 12/20/2019 at 11:04 AM, heretostay said:

I paid all of 60 baht, and they gave me a receipt for it.  The card is "good for life."

It's only valid for life if you're over 60 years old. Under 60 and it's valid for 10 years, the same as a Thai ID card.

Is there an echo in here?

 

On 12/20/2019 at 11:26 AM, bluesofa said:

On 12/20/2019 at 11:04 AM, heretostay said:

I paid all of 60 baht, and they gave me a receipt for it.  The card is "good for life."

The card is valid for ten years. If you were over sixty when it was issued/renewed, then it's good for life.

 

[overherebc]

42 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Is there an echo in here?

 

 

Good for life, that gives me hope ???? at 71 I might get to use it for 30 years. ????????????????.

[Max69xl]

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

Is there an echo in here?

 

 

Unless you move permanently to another address. 

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, Max69xl said:

And it's only valid when staying at the registered address. The pink ID-card is just a proof of having a yellow house book. Move permanently to lets say another province,then it's not valid anymore. 10 years is a long time to stay at the same address. 

As far as I know, my pink foreigner card is valid in my province in Isarn. How would one be cancelled? How would anyone know?

My yellow book is in Bangkok.

In saying that, I think I've only used it once when boarding a domestic airplane, as my passport was in a locked briefcase.

Oh, I used it once when getting a medical cert., to show the doctor my name. The doctor asked me if I had a Thai ID, as lots of farang had them now. I said I was in the process of getting one and that I was the first faring in the province to get one,  but just had a non-Thai ID. He said, yes that's the one, lol. 

Next year, I'm putting it in the bin, as I assume when I get a Thai ID, it will be not valid.

[Jaggg88]

On 12/20/2019 at 9:28 AM, Pib said:

A similar hospital thing happened to me last year when going to a govt eye hospital....showed them my passport and Pink ID card during the registration process....they quickly handed me back my passport (only glanced at it) and didn't use it for registration because they used my Pink ID card instead.

When you check in to a public hospital they need your name address and ID number for the computer. If you don't have an ID number they have to check you in as an alien and you then get charged more. Having an ID number similar to a Thai ID makes it so much easier for the girl to check you in. Obviously private hospitals are not the same.

[ratcatcher]

On 12/20/2019 at 12:56 PM, Pattaya46 said:

You must not travel a lot then... 

By example the bus who goes from Chanthaburi to Sa Kaeo has very often to stop at a military checkpoint not far from the Cambodian border. Immigration Officers climb on board and ask everyone for his ID.

If you are a foreigner, they want to see your passport to check that you are in regular situation. If you are not - or don't have yours -  you are in trouble and invited to get off the bus... 

Why would a foreigner be on a bus heading to Sa Kaeo unless he was possibly planning on a visit to Aranyaprathet / Poipet.

Oh, maybe he lives in that province.

However, some years ago the head of Immigration at the time made it clear that a copy of one's current passport ID page and the current Visa/extension status was acceptable. Easy to do, laminate and no problem. Most people already do this I'm sure. A passport is far too valuable unless you are exiting the country or are attending an Immigration Office. Of course, in Thailand, attitude towards authority is always easier if one is polite and co-operates.

[Max69xl]

5 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

Why would a foreigner be on a bus heading to Sa Kaeo unless he was possibly planning on a visit to Aranyaprathet / Poipet.

Oh, maybe he lives in that province.

However, some years ago the head of Immigration at the time made it clear that a copy of one's current passport ID page and the current Visa/extension status was acceptable. Easy to do, laminate and no problem. Most people already do this I'm sure. A passport is far too valuable unless you are exiting the country or are attending an Immigration Office. Of course, in Thailand, attitude towards authority is always easier if one is polite and co-operates.

There's no official rule saying you have to carry your passport all the time. The police and immigration understands that a passport is a valuable. Like you said, a laminated credit card sized coloured copy of the passports photo page and the last extension on the other side is accepted. I paid 50 baht for mine. 

[jackdd]

12 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

However, some years ago the head of Immigration at the time made it clear that a copy of one's current passport ID page and the current Visa/extension status was acceptable.

This was indeed said once, but we have also seen reports of people (afaik only in Pattaya) who were taken to the police station because they couldn't show their original passport.

[Max69xl]

10 minutes ago, jackdd said:

This was indeed said once, but we have also seen reports of people (afaik only in Pattaya) who were taken to the police station because they couldn't show their original passport.

There's no official rule saying you have to carry your passport 24/7. But if something happens or you get arrested or drive a bike without helmet etc, you might have to get your passport. Otherwise,no. 

[Jip99]

16 minutes ago, jackdd said:

This was indeed said once, but we have also seen reports of people (afaik only in Pattaya) who were taken to the police station because they couldn't show their original passport.

Taken by whom ?
 

 

[Pattaya46]

33 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

However, some years ago the head of Immigration at the time made it clear that a copy of one's current passport ID page and the current Visa/extension status was acceptable.

21 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Like you said, a laminated credit card sized coloured copy of the passports photo page and the last extension on the other side is accepted.

A copy of your passport is acceptable... yes... but only if  you are in your city and able to easily access to your original passport !

If you travel out of your "residence city in Thailand", they you must have your passport with you.

[patrick1968]

ok you got my attention how I can apply for one is there an application ?

what do need to present to them , 

[jackdd]

21 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

There's no official rule saying you have to carry your passport 24/7. But if something happens or you get arrested or drive a bike without helmet etc, you might have to get your passport. Otherwise,no. 

Yes, this might be correct, but they can just say that you might be on overstay and arrest you if you can't produce your passport on the spot.

Then you can either pay some tea money or somebody has to bring your passport to the police station if you don't want to spend the night there.

 

16 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

Taken by whom ?

Obviously by a police officer, or who do you think would take somebody to the police station?

There have been several news, and also reports from other forum members over the years, here just the first one which i found:

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1455879034

 

Edited December 21, 2019 by jackdd

[ratcatcher]

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

If you travel out of your "residence city in Thailand", they you must have your passport with you.

Agreed, sounds reasonable.

[BigStar]

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

This was indeed said once, but we have also seen reports of people (afaik only in Pattaya) who were taken to the police station because they couldn't show their original passport.

Those few reports are extremely unreliable and not to be taken seriously as the writers of the reports themselves don't understand the law and also misinterpret the true reason for detention, much like posters here. And the innocently (or so they always claim!) "stopped" may not realize that police may just say "passport" for short when in fact any valid ID will do. Happened to me once at Thong Lor and I presented a respected Thai company ID! "Thank you, sir."

 

In many cases it's likely that the detained had in fact no valid ID at all, which is required. Hence they then needed to produce their passports.

 

But not carrying an original passport on their persons was not an offense. That's why there's NO report of anyone ever being charged, or fined, for not carrying a passport on his person or of ever being convicted and sentenced for that non-existent "crime."

 

Suppose the detained had had a valid ID, but had still fallen under suspicion for one reason or another. The reason would normally be pretty clear ("acting erratically" seems to be a pretty reliable indicator, actually), but being at the "wrong" place (think drugs) at the wrong time increases (1) the likelihood of an ID check and then as well (2) the likelihood that the person being checked wouldn't have stifled himself with a valid ID anyway. The presented ID also becomes suspect as possibly fake. In those circumstances the passport might be required to be produced for verification.

 

So the reports have little credibility or have reasonable explanations not given in the reports or misunderstood. 

 

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

they can just say that you might be on overstay and arrest you if you can't produce your passport on the spot.

They wouldn't say you might be on overstay unless they had a real reason to suspect that you might be. It's not the kind of thing they arbitrarily do. They might even then accept your passport copy w/ stamps. They would NOT arrest you for not having it on your person or even for not carrying a valid ID, the latter such a minor offense UNLESS they then find you have another problem. They might however detain you while you find a means to produce the passport. If you have no one to help, then they might charge you a standard service fee to accompany you to get it. Consider it like an ambulance charge if nobody can drive you to the hospital.

 

2 hours ago, Pattaya46 said:

If you travel out of your "residence city in Thailand", they you must have your passport with you.

"On your person," I don't think so, the countrywide rule is still "valid ID." But you'll have to be able to produce the passport within 24 hours if you get into trouble. That could difficult unless you have it nearby.

 

The dire scenarios in which you might fall under suspicion, not have your valid ID accepted, and be detained until you "produce" your passport are as predictable as they are extremely rare. Keep your head down, stay 100% legal, act respectful, and it'll never happen.

 

However, we SO love to stir the <deleted>, repeat all the rumor and misinformation, and rehash the whole thing over and over whenever possible. Everyone loves to tell about carrying his passport copy and that time he just showed his Thai DL, etc. etc.

Edited December 21, 2019 by BigStar

[jacko45k]

22 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I seem to bug you; it doesn't. If you read the posts they seem to be evenly split on the usefulness of the card.  It is also mildly amusing to see westerners scrambling about to become more 'Thai'.  

Judging by the way I see them drive and park these days that seems to be coming along quite nicely. 

[HampiK]

On 12/20/2019 at 10:17 PM, Max69xl said:

It was a true statement. If you never had to show your passport at any hotel,then you haven't stayed at a proper hotel in a big city in Thailand. The law says every hotel and guesthouse have to ask for the passport to be able to do the TM30 report. The pink ID-card is not officially allowed when checking in. If they allow it, the staff in the reception don't care about the TM30 report,that's all. 

So the Grand Sheraton Sukhumvit Bangkok isn't a proper Hotel?

I stayed there last month for 1 night and only showed my Pink ID and a Credit Card! 
I agree that it seems strange that they are accepting the Pink, as there is no mention of Passport number or TM6 number for the TM30 registration but I have checked in in small guesthouses homestay (which I believe they not care about TM30) but also as mentioned in big hotels which I guess would care...

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, HampiK said:

So the Grand Sheraton Sukhumvit Bangkok isn't a proper Hotel?

I stayed there last month for 1 night and only showed my Pink ID and a Credit Card! 
I agree that it seems strange that they are accepting the Pink, as there is no mention of Passport number or TM6 number for the TM30 registration but I have checked in in small guesthouses homestay (which I believe they not care about TM30) but also as mentioned in big hotels which I guess would care...

I have also stayed at the JW Marriott and The Landmark, showing only my Thai DL .  In fact I am booked to stay in the Landmark for New Year.  I don't intent to have my passport with me

[john terry1001]

10 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

11 hours ago, Pattaya46 said:

If you travel out of your "residence city in Thailand", they you must have your passport with you.

Agreed, sounds reasonable.

It might sound reasonable but its not true. Any official ID such as the pink card is acceptable. And, as for the pink card not showing your visa status when you present it, the police have a phone number they can call from the roadside to check and confirm your ID card number against your visa status straight away.

[spidermike007]

On 12/20/2019 at 1:18 PM, Alex2554 said:

Kinda queuejumping

Thank you. I will jump a que any opportunity I get. I figure at my age, I might have 20-25 good years left. That does not leave enough time for even one more que. Jump the ques, baby. Improve the quality of life. 

[phutoie2]

Q. Do you need your passport to book in a hotel that do TM30's, or will a Thai DL, or Pink ID suffice? 

A few months back Phetchabun Immigration visited the hotels here, in the city area that is. Informing them that TM30's had to be submitted for all foreigners. 

Indeed one hotel was fined 10K Baht for not reporting an Australian guest. 

 

As for being stopped and asked to produce passport. A brown & yellow pulled me in on R21, I had my DL but they wanted to see passport too. I didn't have it and they just warned me to carry it. 

The only other time was in the 2014 coup and the military were stopping all provincial buses heading into Bangkok. All passengers had to produce ID. 

I had my passport as my golden rule is "out of province, take passport" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bluesofa]

3 hours ago, john terry1001 said:

It might sound reasonable but its not true. Any official ID such as the pink card is acceptable. And, as for the pink card not showing your visa status when you present it, the police have a phone number they can call from the roadside to check and confirm your ID card number against your visa status straight away.

I'd be interested to know how the logistics of that work, could you explain?

 

The way I see it, when you apply for a yellow house book, you will be allocated a Thai ID number. The only way they could connect you back to your Latin name would be if the house registration department also entered your Latin name on the same entry as the house book details?

Or have I missed something more obvious?

[fourpack]

On 12/21/2019 at 9:13 AM, Khon Kaen Jeff said:

Well, bully for you, but they are absolutely pointless things to have. A driving license and yellow book are the only such things worth having.

Complete codswallop.

If you don't want one fine your choice but don't claim there pointless unless you have one.

Simple really

[john terry1001]

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I'd be interested to know how the logistics of that work, could you explain?

 

The way I see it, when you apply for a yellow house book, you will be allocated a Thai ID number. The only way they could connect you back to your Latin name would be if the house registration department also entered your Latin name on the same entry as the house book details?

Or have I missed something more obvious?

They don't use the name as such to retrieve the info, it's the Thai ID number that's added to the foreigners file on immigration's database that they use.

 

A family friend is a police officer in Korat and works on one of the police roadside checks. We were at his wedding and, sitting with his fellow colleagues, got round to talking about the carrying a passport and having a pink ID card. Using my card, one of them explained that a foreigners Thai ID number is also tagged to the Immigration database so, if you input the the ID number the persons immigration status is revealed and they have a phone number they can use to do this from the roadside if they want to. I don't know exactly how much information is available to them but it certainly includes the passport details and visa status and is accessed by just using the Thai ID number. That's the way it was explained to me.

[richard_smith237]

19 hours ago, jackdd said:

19 hours ago, Max69xl said:

There's no official rule saying you have to carry your passport 24/7. But if something happens or you get arrested or drive a bike without helmet etc, you might have to get your passport. Otherwise,no. 

Yes, this might be correct, but they can just say that you might be on overstay and arrest you if you can't produce your passport on the spot.

Then you can either pay some tea money or somebody has to bring your passport to the police station if you don't want to spend the night there.

 

19 hours ago, Jip99 said:

Taken by whom ?

Obviously by a police officer, or who do you think would take somebody to the police station?

There have been several news, and also reports from other forum members over the years, here just the first one which i found:

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1455879034

 

Only commissioned Police Officers Captain and above can enquire as to your immigration status without Immigration officers present - that said, since when do the Police actually know their own regulations, so they do ask and having a Pink ID card is the perfect substitute to carrying around your passport. 

 

Now, it seems some love to argue the 'Passport debate' and that its either necessary or not necessary. There clearly is no right or wrong, but a spectrum of possibilities, conveniences which work for you or they don't. 

 

I never carry my passport in Thailand (unless I travel outside of the province for a holiday etc), my passport it way too valuable. Also, Thai law does not state that a person must prove their immigration status, Thai law states that 'a person must be able to present government issued photographic ID within a resumable time frame'.

 

Having the pink ID card removes any ambiguity. 

 

Given the grey area the Police operate in, unless someone is being very difficult to deal with I very much doubt any Police Officer would push the ID card any further beyond a Pink ID card. 

 

 

Thus: If you can't get a Yellow house book and subsequently a Pink ID card its not really a big deal, however, in most cases it offers a greater convenience - its a 'nice to have not a need to have'...

 

 

[bigginhill]

On 12/20/2019 at 5:02 AM, heretostay said:

Sorry if I missed the older posts about the pink card getting easier. 

 

As for the yellow house book, that was also no problem at my district office in Bangkok, armed with passport, deed (chanote), the Land Office transfer form, and a Thai witness with ID card. (The house registration office, at the time, had advised me NOT to get the the pink ID card... but the actual ID card department was quite happy to issue one to me!)

Do you need the originale of the chanote, or is a photocopy sufficient? 

 

[thedemon]

10 hours ago, bigginhill said:

Do you need the originale of the chanote, or is a photocopy sufficient? 

 

According to the DOPA procedural manual, you don't need the Chanote but you do need the land office issued sale and purchase agreement. It must be the original and in the case of a foreigner, the transliteration of your name to Thai must be spelled exactly the same as all other documents presented. 

 

The requirement to prove ownership is only the case if there is no name(s) registered in your blue Tabien Baan. If there is then it is the Chao Baan (head of household) that gives their permission to list your name in a yellow Tabien Baan. This applies even if you are the owner of the property. It sounds odd but once a foreign owner has given permission to a Thai citizen to be registered as Chao Baan, the foreign owner then relies on the permission of that Thai citizen to give their permission for the owner to be listed in a yellow Tabien Baan.

 

Of course these are only the official requirements as laid out in the manual and different local offices can dream up their own rules, such as requiring a Thai witness. By complaining to BORA (the registration division of DOPA) the local office can be forced to follow the official manual but depending on what they are demanding, it may be easier to just suck it up.

[BigStar]

2 hours ago, thedemon said:

It must be the original and in the case of a foreigner, the transliteration of your name to Thai must be spelled exactly the same as all other documents presented. 

Then the transliteration of your name on the MFA translation of your passport, if needed, must match. The other documents may not, for example, include your middle name but your passport does. If not, then you'll need to get the other documents amended.